5.14.2011

30 Before 30

Back in January, my friend Mindy posted on Facebook a list of things she wanted to do before turning 30 this year. This inspired me to create my own list, which I'm calling my "30 Before 30." Some are big; some are minor. A handful I've already completed by the time I've gotten around to composing this blog post. Here they are (with commentary).

1. Hike the Inca Trail to Machu PicchuDONE! A major thank you goes to my friend Kendra for being the impetus to get this to happen.

2. Fill up my passport pagesI have three squares left in my passport, which expires next fall. I'll need to purchase a new one by February (6 months before it expires), so that means I have about 8 months to get this done. I'm hoping to check this off the list when I go to eastern Europe this summer. If not, I might need to make an impromptu trip south of the boarder. :)

3. Learn how to make a good mojitoDONE-ISH. My friend Gino taught me his secret recipe for making mojitos when he and his family were visiting at Easter. Now I just need to practice a few times to make sure I have it right. I'm looking for volunteers. ;)

4. Run a raceDONE! I competed in the Warrior Dash (a 5K with crazy obstacles) a couple weekends ago. Sure, I ended up having to walk half the race because I tore some ligaments in my ankle scrambling down the pyramid of hay bales, but hey, I completed the race!

5. Ride a SegwayProvided plans don't fall through, I'll cross this one off my list tonight! My friend Amy and Dylan and I will be rolling around Tempe Town Lake on a Segway tour. Can't wait!

6. Buy a house.Eeks! This is a big one. I'm slowly getting the ball rolling...we'll see what happens.

7. Plant an herb gardenThe next few items on my list rely on me accomplishing #6, so hopefully that one works out well!

8. Make a compost binBecause that's just a good thing to do!

9. Stockpile the necessary ingredients for a well-stocked barIt seems like a grown-up thing to do.

10. Go scuba diving againIt's been a year and a half since I went diving in the Great Barrier Reef. I need to find another excuse to go diving again!

11. Bake bread from scratchNo bread machine allowed.

12. Put together a book of photos and blog posts from my 3 months of travel around Europe, Southeast Asia and Australia in 2007There's no excuse for why I haven't done this already. My favorite pictures from that trip need to live somewhere other than online albums.

13. Finish putting together my video of photos from said 2007 travelsOn a related note, I need to finish the project I started a long while back of compiling ALL the photos I took into a stop-action video.

14. Visit a winery with friendsI've been to one in Washington with my parents before, but I think it'd be a different experience with friends.

15. Read my grandfather's book, Pappy's BoysMy grandfather played quarterback for the Cal Bears when they went to the Rose Bowl in 1948. He helped put together this book about the coach, Pappy Waldorf.

16. Interview my grandparentsThis is really just a fancy way of saying I want to learn more about their story.

17. Spend some time shooting alongside a professional photographerI love taking photos, but there's so much that I still need to learn about controlling my camera settings, getting good lighting, and setting my focus. I'm hoping one of my photographers friends will be amenable to spending an afternoon or something, to impart some wisdom my way.

18. Go to a drive-in movie double featureI've been once before to see a single movie. I want to kick it old school and see a double feature sometime.

19. Learn to surfI hear there's a water park in the Phoenix area that has a wave simulator where you can learn how to surf. If that's not true, I'm going to have to find an ocean somewhere where I can learn!

20. Watch all of the West WingI just finished season 3, so I have a little more than half-way to go to finish Aaron Sorkin's masterful tv show.

21. Write a willBecause all grownups should have one.

22. Get my fortune toldI wonder if a psychic would be able to tell me if I'll complete everything on my 30 Before 30 list...

23. Go roller skating at a roller rinkI haven't done this since elementary school and I so badly want to go again!

24. Take a cooking classI don't really care what the topic is. I'd just love to learn how to make something tasty.

25. Eat snailsDONE! I told a client of mine about my 30 Before 30 list, and when she heard I wanted to try escargot, she said we had to order them off the menu at the French restaurant where we were meeting. Butter and garlic make anything taste good!

26. Go see the original London Bridge at Lake HavasuThis has been on my must-do list since I moved to Arizona. I still can't believe they moved the original bridge all the way from London to crazy Arizona.

27. Visit the Phoenix Farmers MarketThis is another Phoenix Must-Do item that I've never gotten around to doing.

28. See an operaOpera seems like a grown-up thing to do, too. I either want to attend a performance put on by the Phoenix Opera, or see one of those performances from New York's Metropolitan Opera, projected live at a local movie theater.

29. See a drag showI'm all about exposing myself to culture, as you can tell. :)

30. Go camping with friendsI've definitely been camping before, but I've never gone with a group of friends.